IHL Suing Ft. Wayne Komets

By Andrew Bourgeois

June 17th, 2001

IHL NEWS

The IHL is suing the owners of the Fort Wayne Komets, which left the IHL two years ago for the United Hockey League, for $292,000 in dues and worker’s compensation. When the Komets left the IHL, the franchise was “suspended” which meant, said the lawsuit, it owes $143,456 in dues for the last two seasons and worker’s comp costs of $148,600.“It’s money we feel is owed to us,” said IHL commissioner Doug Moss. “Unfortunately these things happen.”Moss said Fort Wayne is the only former team that’s caused a problem because they’ve cleared up those issues with other teams that have left, such as Kalamazoo, Long Beach, Las Vegas and Indianapolis, in the last couple of years.“It costs money to operate a team and a league. Other people pay their dues,” said Moss.The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette reported the IHL is also seeking an injunction against Fort Wayne’s use of the Komet name, logo and uniforms “claiming the team granted the league excusive rights to everything associated with the Komets’ identity.”

The Professional Hockey Players Association is also suing the Komets for more than $33,000 for its players’ insurance fund and $45,100 for a former defenceman Guy Dupuis.The IHL has also filed a claim as a creditor against the Cincinnati Cyclones bankruptcy.In AHL news and announcement is expeceted tomorrow on the new realignmnet of its divisions and conferences and Kansas City is exploring the possibilities of an AHL franchise coming to town for next year.

AHL FASTFACTS

The 1972 Nova Scotia Voyageurs, the 1978 Maine Mariners, the 1985 Sherbrooke Canadiens and the 1994 Portland Pirates all have all won the Calder Cup in their inaugural seasons with the American Hockey League.

TODAY IN HOCKEY

June 17, 1989 the Quebec Nordiques make NHL history when they select Mats Sundin first overall in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. Sundin became the first European selected first overall in the NHL Entry Draft.